One of the primary factors and steps in the cooking and baking process for any food ingredient or food item is to make certain that the food ingredient or food item has been brought up to room temperature, and then after it has been brought to room temperature to mix it to obtain the appropriate consistency and texture. Because of their ease of use and ubiquity microwave ovens are the device most commonly used to warm frozen or cold food items to room temperature. However, microwave ovens are not the best or most efficient means to warm frozen or cold food items as they work by heating the food item from the inside out at extremely high temperatures (microwave ovens cause the water molecules in all food items to vibrate at almost 2500 million times a second thereby causing the food item to absorb energy and quickly heat). Because of the very high heat produced by microwave ovens, one must carefully monitor the warming and heating of the food item so that the food item isn't overheated and ruined. This concern also applies to warming up food ingredients such as mixes, butter, margarine, cream cheese, etc., food ingredients that may come in blocks, sticks, or pads and which require warming and partial softening for use. Thus, a more efficient way to warm up and soften food items and ingredients is desired that considerably shortens to time period of food item warm up and also does not ruin the food item or ingredient by destroying the natural consistency and texture of the food item or ingredient. Thus, the prior art discloses a range of devices that pertain to mixers, and not microwave ovens, for warming and softening food items and food ingredients.
For example, the Jensen Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 1,692,270) discloses an apparatus for treating liquids that includes an electrically energized heating element that is carried through a tubular metallic member.
The Willat et al. Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 1,845,692) discloses a liquid heating and circulating device for immersion in a liquid such as oil for heating and circulating the liquid that is stored in a vessel not readily adaptable for external heat application.
The Galajda, Jr. Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 3,109,913) discloses an electrically heated mixing service that combines a heating function with a mixing function that applies heat from the heating element to the shaft and consequently through the agitator blades of the mixer. The Cairclli Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 3,586,819) discloses a combination of food mixer and heater includes both beater elements and separate heating elements extending outwardly from the housing unit.
The Cairelli Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 3,589,834) discloses a helical blade mixer that includes helical intenneshing blades on each shaft and a heating device that is used in conjunction with the helical blades of the mixer.
The Duncan et al. Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,384) discloses a hand-held mixing device with a heating element in the form of a coil surrounding the blade of the mixer. Nonetheless, despite the ingenuity of the above devices, there remains a need for a mixer having heated mixing blades that warm and soften foods for enhanced food preparation and cooking.